Nearly three quarters (72%) of web users admit to updating their Facebook status just before falling asleep, says Travelodge.

Research by the hotel chain revealed on average Brits spend 16 minutes each night socially networking with pals while in bed, with the peak chatting time being 9.45pm.

Furthermore, 18% 'tweet' from their bed and one in five (20%) admit to checking what their favourite celebrities and friends are up to on micro-blogging service Twitter.

A quarter of Brits claim they do their weekly grocery shopping online from their bed, while 10% pay bills via the web and 35% surf for net for latest showbiz gossip before falling asleep.

Nearly two thirds (65%) said the last thing they do before nodding off is check text messages on their mobile phone and on average, Brits spend nine minutes texting before falling asleep.

Four in ten admit to regularly texting friends from between the sheets and 27% say they're often woken from slumber by a text message. A quarter also said they're likely to receive late night messages from their boss.

More than half (51%) of Brits ensure the first thing they do after they've woken up is check their mobile for texts or emails, while one in ten respond to these messages before even getting out of bed.

Meanwhile, 84% of Brits rely on their mobile phone as an alarm clock, compared to just 34% in 2008.

"We have become a nation of 'online-a-holics'," said psychologist Corinne Sweet,

"Like all things there is a time and place and social networking should not take place between the sheets as it can be detrimental to our well being. By texting, tweeting, surfing and writing on our walls in bed we are nodding off with a busy mind which impacts upon our quality of sleep during the night."

Sweet advised web users to make time earlier in the evening for social networking as "it will help you distress after a hard day and prepare you for bedtime".